Valoração Econômica do Parque Estadual de Itaúnas (ES)

This study elaborates a psychographics profile of the tourists visiting the Itaúnas State Park (Parque Estadual de Itaúnas), Espirito Santo, Brazil, and estimates the recreative use economic value for the Park, using a psychographics approach of the Travel Cost Method (TCM). It was observed that tourists in the same psychographics profile demand similar transformations, while there was a noticeable difference between tourists in different profiles. The alocentrics and near-alocentrics visitors demand a more natural environment, while the other profiles demand more transformations. The Itaúnas State Park receives close to 215 thousands visitors per year. The annual benefits generated to the universe of visitors was estimated in R$ 32.758.992,03 and the economic value of the Park recreative utility was R$ 116.010.963,30 per year. The results suggested the possibility to manage not only the overall number of visitors, but also the different demands for new facilities/improvements. Therefore, it may be possible to intervene conscientiously in the pace and types of local transformations by effective demand management.